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The renowned publisher has secured Ben Brinkman from Respawn Entertainment to oversee the development team at 31st Union, which is currently crafting the upcoming third-person roguelike extraction-shooter known as Project Ethos.

Management Transition Follows Poor Response

Brinkman takes on the leadership position at the development studio following the departure of former leader Michael Condrey, who was removed from his post due to the game's lackluster early showing last fall.

Recently, 2K president David Ismailer informed staff about this strategic move through an internal memo, which highlighted that early feedback sessions had shown the need for a more defined direction.

Ismailer stated that the team is now reimagining the project with a refreshed approach, aiming to address community desires.

Trend of Strategic Recruitment

This announcement follows a comparable move taken by 2K Games in August, when they recruited an industry veteran from the Diablo team to assist with the beloved franchise development group.

Here is the entire text from the president's memo:

Team—

I know you all just wrapped up your meeting - I hope you’re as thrilled as I am with the recent updates. Last time I shared you all a message, I mentioned the following: “I believe in this group. You all are some of the most dedicated and talented designers we have had the opportunity to collaborate with - and we’re excited for that collaboration to continue.”

Through your commitment and adaptability, particularly over the past twelve months, you repeatedly show that.

The player input from last fall’s the game playtest was enlightening. It validated the potential of a action-packed game but indicated we still had refinements needed. It uncovered the necessity for a clearer brand.

It’s been inspiring to see how far you’ve come. You took the feedback to consideration and reimagined Project ETHOS with a revitalized vision - one that’s poised to achieve its promise to our players.

Our confidence in this project strengthens every day. To advance the incredible progress you’ve made, It is a pleasure to introduce Ben Brinkman as the incoming Director of the team. Following a period of conversations, Ben starts with us on Monday, October 20.

Ben’s guidance and experience in the PVP shooter genre is vast, having devoted the recent years producing and overseeing some of the most popular series in the industry, for example the acclaimed shooter, and lately, Apex Legends.

I invite you all in receiving him in the coming days. We are all eager to continue seeing the development of Project ETHOS in the time to come.

The President

Background of the Incoming Head

The appointee presently serves in the position of executive producer and production lead at Respawn Entertainment for Apex Legends. Brinkman previously was employed at Treyarch and Activision in multiple development positions on the Call of Duty series, and, before that, had stints at 2K and Electronic Arts.

Game Information and Vision

The upcoming game was announced in last year alongside a public demo. At the time, 31st Union described the title as a "no-cost, third-person perspective action-packed experience and an thrilling advancement on the genre."

"Build your perfect run—or die trying—in this 3rd-person action shooter! Customize your character in live gameplay to match your preferred approach," the description explains. "Challenge the competition with unique powers, challenges, and tests that evolve every round. Will you withdraw carefully with your valuable rewards? Or aim high, gamble everything, and pray your team can achieve the highest spot? The choice is in your hands."

Project Ethos does not have an confirmed release date or platforms, but enthusiasts can look forward to further news as creation progresses.